


Tiger By the Tail

by bluetoast



Series: Last Prince of Jotunheim [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Awesome Phil Coulson, Gen, Mean Thor, Poor Loki, Protective Hulk, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-01
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-02-06 23:19:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1876290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluetoast/pseuds/bluetoast
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce and Agent Coulson start to learn more about Ru. He's more than willing to answer their questions; they're a lot nicer than most of the people's he's met. Unfortunately, Thor learns that there's a frost giant on Midgard and he can't have that. Especially not after they just wrecked his coronation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tiger By the Tail

Bruce wasn't sure what was more unnerving; the fact that he was trying to unlock what exactly Ru was; or the fact that Ru was a more than willing subject. Tony's theory was that he was an alien and while Bruce didn't want to completely agree, there really wasn't any other possible answer. 

“You're not uncomfortable, are you?” He glanced towards the inside of the MRI machine. “Not claustrophobic?”

“No, Ru is fine, thank you.” He replied, and Bruce could see him tapping his fingers together. “Is it alright if Ru shuts his eyes when the lights come on? Ru does not like bright lights.”

“Sure, not a problem.” He answered, still not used to the way he talked about himself in the third person. But then, after a lifetime of slavery, it was a miracle he knew how to feed and bathe himself. He turned on the machine and slowly it began relaying images to him. He frowned. “Ru, how long ago did you break your leg?” He frowned. “The left one.” 

“Which time, Doctor Banner? Ru has broken his leg several times.” He called out. 

“Yeah, I can see the multiple fracture scars. The most recent time.” Bruce frowned and turned the machine off and retracted the slab.

“It was three years ago. A metal crate fell on Ru's leg. It was Ru's fault, Ru shouldn't have been out of his cage, but the sea was rough.” He sat up, looking contrite. 

“It's not your fault. Good to see you healed up.” He gave the blue being a small smile. “I'm sure you had a good reason for being out of your...” he forced himself to say it. “Cage.”

“It had opened because the lock was not secure. Ru did not know how to manage to shut it himself.” He looked at his hands. “If Ru had not been in the middle of the ocean, Ru might have tried to run away.”

“I'm glad you're safe, Ru.” He patted the man on the arm. “Just a few more things and then you're going to talk to Agent Coulson. He's going to ask you a bunch of questions, but you don't have to answer them if you don't want to.”

“Ru will do his best, Doctor Banner.” He tilted his head to the side. “Are you all right? Something does not seem right with you.”

“I'm tired.” He lied. Talking and seeing cages always tended to make the Other Guy upset. Ruined going to the zoo ever again, but Bruce would rather abstain from that than risk the Hulk letting hungry carnivores out. “Traveling does that, right?”

“Right.” Ru picked up the bottle of V-8 that Bruce had been drinking. “It's too warm.” He stared at the bottle for a moment and Bruce heard a faint crinkling noise. “Here.” 

He took the bottle back, noting that the plastic had cooled and when he took a sip, found the vegetable drink to be borderline icy. “That's impressive. We'll study that another time, okay?”

“Okay.” Ru looked rather pleased with himself. “Ru can do all sorts of things with ice.”

 

*  
It was should have been his day of triumph. 

His coronation day.

He should be getting flat out drunk and celebrating with his friends right now.

That was before frost giants broke into Asgard and decided to ruin everything. Just like the monsters they were. Oh, they were dead and the dark elf that had been with them was currently being questioned. But Father was forbidding him from taking part in the interrogations. Thor was borderline livid at being sent way from the proceedings like he a naughty little boy who'd only be in the way. He'd been left out because of his _temper_.

What nonsense. He didn't have a temper and it wasn't right that Sif was allowed into the council meeting and he was not.

Rather than sit in his room and pout, he decided he would show just how responsible he was by going out and checking with Heimdall to see if the guardian had noticed armies amassing on Jotunheim, preparing for a larger attack, or even if another band had broken into the realm in the same fashion as the first. 

“Good evening, Prince Thor.” Heimdall's voice was calm. It was always somewhat relaxing to come out to the observatory.

“Good evening, Heimdall. All is well?” He decided he would be casual about his visit; besides, it wasn't like he was out here demanding to go to Jotunheim to do some questioning of his own.

“The Nine Realms stand secure; there is unrest on Jotunheim. Civil War.” His voice was almost sad. Did the guardian actually care what happened to jotuns?

“Is it bad?” Thor hoped they wouldn't all kill each other before he got a chance to kill at least one.

“King Laufey and his sons are dead. The throne stands empty.” He frowned and shifted his gaze. “No, one remains.” 

“One son?” In truth, Thor did not know how many children the now late king of Jotunheim had. Not that he really cared.

“I believe it is his son. I cannot tell. He is a runt. Though as to what he is doing on Midgard, I do not know.” 

“Midgard?” He took a few steps forward. Father never said anything about not going to the world of men. “He must be hiding. He should be brought back for questioning. He must know something about the attack on the vault. If he is there, then he must know how the giants got in here.” 

*  
Ru stared at the man on the other side of the table. Agent Coulson, he was called. He had a kind face, like Steve did. He also had a nice, quiet voice and didn't seem to be after anything in particular. He also gave him a large bag of M&Ms. Ru was saving those for later. They were among his favorite treats. 

“I just want to ask you a few questions, okay?” Agent Coulson – Phil – he had said Ru could call him, took a drink from his mug.

“Okay.” He picked up one of the crayons that had been put on the table and started to draw on the paper that had also been provided. Doctor Banner said it might be easier to talk if he had something to do with his hands.

“Do you have a family, Ru?” He coughed. “Other people who look like you?”

“Ru is alone. Only Ru looks like Ru.” He switched from the blue crayon to the green one. 

“Did you ever have a family like that? That you remember?” He wrote something down. 

“No. Ru does not remember having a family.” He rubbed his nose. “Ru is very old, but Ru does not remember if there were others.” He looked up. “Sorry.”

“It's all right. We're just trying to figure out where you came from.” He scribbled something else down. Ru wished he could read the words. 

“Ru has come from many places.” He could tell the man that and he saw the agent's face brighten slightly. “Ru is from the North Pole. Ru is from the wilds of Siberia. Ru is from the barren wastelands of Antarctica.” 

The man let out a half laugh. “No, you misunderstand. I mean where you came from originally.” 

“Ru does not know that.” He felt his shoulders slump. “Ru remembers ships. There were always ships in the beginning.” 

He cleared his throat. “Let's try something else... do you remember where you were during World War Two?” 

He exchanged the green crayon for the red. “Ru was in Australia and New Zealand.” He looked up. “Ru liked it there. It was a nice hot.”

“Nice hot, huh?” He chuckled. “Do you know who the sides were in that war?”

He set the crayon down and thought for a moment. He knew this. “Everyone else against Germany and Japan.”

“Close enough.” He made another note. “Italy was on the same side as Germany and Japan. Have you been to Italy?”

“Italy is nice. They have lots of tomatoes. Ru loves tomatoes.” He went back to coloring, picking up the yellow crayon. 

“Tomatoes are good.” He chuckled. “People used to think they were poisonous, did you know that?”

“Ru knows that. People threw tomatoes at Ru. Ru scared the people by eating the tomatoes.” He giggled. “Ru always ate well the days people came armed with tomatoes.”

Something in Agent Coulson's face changed. “Why do you talk about yourself in the third person, Ru?”

“Ru does not understand that question.” He put the yellow crayon back into the box an got out the purple one.

“The way you use your name instead of I. That's the name you use when you talk about yourself, not your name.” He set a hand on the crayon box and Ru looked up.

“Ru is not an I. Ru has never been an I.” He felt his shoulders slump. “Ru is not supposed to use I.”

“Why not?” He said it plainly. “You can be an I.”

“Ru...” He thought for a moment. “I would have to practice. Just like Ru did when he learned Persian.”

“You can speak Persian?” The man sounded impressed.

“Ru vorbește persan foarte bine.*” He grinned at the man. 

“What other languages do you know?” Now he sounded very interested. It was nice to be able to talk and not be reprimanded for it. “Besides English and Persian?”

“Ru does not know how...uh... well...” He was trying to think of the right word.

“Fluent?” Agent Coulson offered.

“Yes! Ru does not know how fluent he is, but Ru can make himself be understood and understands Spanish, French, Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian and Aramaic.” He nudged the paper with his finger. “But Ru cannot read.” 

“That's quite impressive, knowing all those languages.” The man gave him a big smile. “Are there any languages you only know a few words in?”

“Ru knows a few words in Danish, Korean and Hindi.” He picked up the black crayon. “Ru wants to learn how to read.”

“I'm certain that we can find someone who would be more than happy to teach you. Although it will most likely be in English. Is that all right?” The man was still smiling.

“Ru just wants to read. Ru does not care what language it is.” He tapped his fingers against his chin. “Ru would like to write too.” 

“They go hand in hand, reading and writing.” The man set down his pen. “I'm sure you'll learn in no time.” 

He nodded enthusiastically. “Ru promises to be a good student.” 

*  
Bruce led Ru back up to the living room after his chat with Agent Coulson. He had gone over some of his findings; internally, his organs were very much like a human's, although his heart had six chambers instead of four, his lungs were similar in capacity to a bear's, and he had an odd organ where his appendix would be were he human; initially, it seemed to function as something that maintained body temperature when Ru used his icing capabilities. 

Which was recorded at seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit.

When they came into the room, Bruce could see that the sky had clouded over and it was threatening to storm again tonight. A late spring/early summer constant. “Where's Tony?”

“His lab. He said he wanted to fix a thruster on his suit.” Steve got up from the couch. “Pepper's supposed to be back soon, I think he's trying to get everything done before she gets here.” He turned to Ru. “How was your day?”

“Ru's day was fine.” He handed Steve a piece of paper. “That's for you.” 

Steve looked down at it, barely giving it a second thought. “It's very nice, Ru, thanks.”

“I got one too.” Bruce replied, rather sheepishly. “We stopped by the lab to give Tony his.” He chuckled. “Mine's of the ocean.”

“Agent Coulson said Ru could learn how to read. Will you both help Ru?” The hopeful look the blue man gave them was heartbreaking.

“Of course we'll help.” Steve replied. “We all will.” There was a rumble of thunder from outside.

“Thank you. Ru is looking forward to...” There was an even louder boom of thunder and his expression went from happy straight to fear. “Who is _that?_ ” He raised his arm to point and was suddenly thrown back across the room, crashing into the far wall.

“What?” That was the last thing Bruce heard Steve say before the Other Guy woke up.

*  
Steve had to duck as Bruce hulked-out and a hammer went flying back towards the balcony. “What in the?” He saw someone striding into the room, completely nonchalant about what was going on. He saw Bruce race across the room to where Ru was lying, standing over him like a mother bear. 

“Do not make me hurt you.” The man suddenly whipped the hammer right under Steve's nose. “Why are you harboring a monster in the Man of Iron's tower?” He knew who this was. It was Thor.

He reached up and yanked the hammer out of Thor's hand, not even registering his look of shock. “Funny, the only monster I see around here is you.”

“Frost giants are worthless.” He punched Steve in the face, knocking him back and the stunned man dropped the hammer as he staggered towards the floor. 

He saw Thor take two steps towards Ru and Bruce when the Hulk lunged forward, grabbed the blond man by the ankle and pounded him back and forth across the floor, stopping only when the elevator doors opened Tony stepped out. 

Steve came over to where the Hulk was standing, looking down at Thor in a small crater, his face absolutely stunned at what had just happened. 

Tony looked down at Thor and snorted. “Tell me there's a spider under that guy, because if there is, this story just got a thousand times better.” 

“Do not mock me.” The blond man started to get up and then the shadow of the Hulk's large hand fell over him and he sank back down into his hole.

Steve leaned down and yanked the hammer free and fell back to join his friends just as another person strode in from the balcony; an older gentleman, dressed in armor similar to Thor's, only it was gold. He looked around the room slowly, his gaze lingering on Ru long enough for the Hulk to raise his hand and then down to the man lying in the crater.

“Do you have _any_ idea what you have done, Thor?” The man snarled.

“Father, I...” Thor started to speak.

 _“Silence!”_ He spat and then turned his attention to the group and Steve wondered whether he or Tony should speak first. Thankfully, the newest arrival saved them both the trouble. “I must apologize for this most...” He shook his head and made his way around the crater and pointed down at his son. “Stay there.” 

The Hulk's hand came down to the floor, shielding Ru. “No hurt Hulk's friend.”

“I will not harm him.” The man crouched down and touched the whimpering creature. “Where did you find this jotun?”

Steve and Tony exchanged glances.

“I found him locked in a cage.” Tony spat. “He's been a prisoner his entire life. I don't suppose you know anything about that.”

“Do not dare to...” Thor started to say.

“Hold your tongue!” The man spat back at his son. “You have caused enough trouble, do not add to it!” He turned to Tony. “I confess, I do not.” 

Ru had managed to get to a slumped sit, and he was holding onto the Hulk's very large index finger. “Ru is sorry. Ru did not mean for anyone to get hurt..” He coughed and Steve saw a trickle of blood escape his lips.

“You haven't done anything wrong.” The man smiled and smoothed down Ru's hair. “You are a very brave jotun, if a small one.”

“Ru does not understand jotun.” He glanced at Steve. “Steve, is this another friend?”

Thor muttered something that only Tony must have heard clearly because he snapped at him.

“As far as I'm concerned, the only revolting creature around here is you.” Tony shook his head in disgust. “So there are more creatures like Ru?”

“Yes.” The man stood up, glanced at the Hulk and stepped back. “And your friend is far safer here than he would be among his own kind.” He sighed. “The only person who might know how Ru came to be here on Midgard is, unfortunately, dead. However, if he acted as I feared he did; I do not think his death should be mourned for long.” 

“No disrespect, gramps, but who the hell are you?” Tony asked.

Steve had heard the expression 'I wish I had a camera' before – but he'd never thought he'd want to use the expression himself until he saw the look on King Odin's face when Tony called him _gramps_ and Steve had replied 'I thought that was _my_ name.'

*  
Thor leaned against the rail of the Man of Iron's tower's balcony, fuming. These had been the worse few days of his entire life. First, his coronation was wrecked. Then, his father had shamed him in front of the privy court. After that, he'd come down to Midgard to take care of a rouge frost giant only to find the monster had friends who defended him and one of them could weld Mjolnir. To top it all off, Father had stripped him of his powers and left him on Midgard until he proved himself worthy of coming home. With the added indignity of Captain Rogers being given custody of his weapon simply because he could use it. 

It meant that he was worthy, the All Father said.

Captain Rogers was just a plain and boring Midgardian. What trick of the Norns gave him the power to use such a weapon? The man didn't even carry it around, he left it in his rooms, locked away where Thor couldn't even attempt to try and get it back.

He glanced over his shoulder and sneered. Lady Pepper was helping the frost giant read. The simple thing couldn't possibly appreciate it. He'd be nothing more than a trained animal, performing tricks. He saw the red-eyed creature lift its head to look at him for a moment and he returned the monster's look with a glare. He smirked when the beast quickly ducked his head and Thor looked back out over the city. Even without powers, he could kill the jotun in a matter of seconds. 

He couldn't say how long he stood there, long enough for the shadows to lengthen and for the city to slowly come alive with lights. When his stomach growled, he tensed, knowing that soon he would have to seek out sustenance. 

“Would you like to join us for dinner?” A quiet voice interrupted his brooding and he turned to see the jotun standing there, holding a bowl of something he couldn't identify – some sort of red fruits with cheese and bright green leaves. “We are having dinner now. Would you like to join us?”

Thor glowered at him. “I will not break bread with a frost giant.”

The creature cocked his head to the side. The silly thing was confused. “The bread is already sliced. It does not need to be broken any further.”

“You stupid thing, you do not even understand what I mean!” He laughed. “You shouldn't even be eating at a table, you should be eating out of bowls laid on the floor, or out of a trough like the mindless beast that you are!” His mirth died when he saw that the jotun looked as if he had been struck. As if he had feelings to be hurt.

“Another Prince Hassan.” He shook his head. “Foolish Prince Hassan though that Rah the tiger would not object to having his tail pulled because Hassan was a prince and all must obey him. When Rah took Hassan's arm, the Prince said the tiger must be put to death.” He shook his head again, looking sorrowful. “Rah acted as tigers will. Hassan's father did not have the tiger killed. Instead, the king sold all of Hassan's favorite animals and slaves to someone else. Ru remembers, because Ru went with Rah to live with the Sultan. Ru never saw Prince Hassan again, but the Sultan told Ru that no fathers would consent to letting Prince Hassan marry their daughters.”

Thor shook his head. “Does your silly little story have a point?” 

“Don't be like Prince Hassan.” The red eyes blinked at him as if what he was telling him was obvious. “You have lost your tiger but your father said you might get it back.” He shook his head. “Steve is very nice and would give you back your hammer if he could.”

“I do not want that mortal or you anywhere near it.” He took a step forward. “Go away, jotun! I do not wish to see you and I do not wish to eat with worthless stupid mortals either!” He watched as the blue freak crumpled slightly and backed away slowly, casting one last look over his shoulder as he came to the door. 

“Ungrateful Prince Thor.” He shook his head. “Saying mean things about Ru's nice friends.” He went inside.

For some utterly bizarre reason, Thor felt exactly the same way he did on the rare occasions his mother had chastised him when he was a little boy.

**Author's Note:**

> *Ru speaks Persian very well.


End file.
